Montvale Public Schools
Spring 2019: Volume VI Issue III
Superintendent's Message
Dear Montvale Families,
May Greetings! As we approach the end of the school year, I want to thank you for a wonderful year. Our students have demonstrated tremendous growth from September to now. It has been a collective effort to make sure children are supported and learn from successes and challenges. The definition of “power” in physics is the “transfer of energy”. In Montvale, we focus the “transfer of energy” on serving our students and supporting them in serving others. Through little acts of kindness, we can all make a difference. We are fortunate to have students, parents, Board members, teachers, teaching assistants, secretaries, custodians, community members, administrators and others who are service-minded. Thank you!
With less than two months to go in the school year, now is a good time to sit down with your children and talk about summer plans...registering for the Montvale Summer Institute (MSI), keeping a journal, selecting books to read, finalizing vacation plans and going over safety reminders. It is also a good time to talk with your children about all of the growth they have shown this school year (physically, academically, socially, and behaviorally). It is important for children to receive feedback about areas they have improved upon and areas for more growth.
Sincerely,
Darren
Calendar Update: Schools Closed Friday, May 24, Monday & Tuesday, May 27 & 28
Memorial Day weekend will be an extended break this year since we used only one snow day this winter. There will be NO school on Friday, May 24, Monday May 27, and Tuesday, May 28. Enjoy the long weekend! The last day of school is June 26 for students.
Montvale Summer Institute (MSI) & New Kindergarten Camp
Congratulations to Dr. Erik Parks!
An Interview with Retiring Fieldstone Middle School Nurse - Mrs. Halder
How many years have you been working in the Montvale Schools?
I came to Montvale in September of 1999. My new teacher orientation included a school-bus ride through the streets of town. George Wild, a veteran teacher and the district’s first-ever computer technician, was our tour guide. He showed us a very different Montvale from the way it is now. The Tice and DiPiero farmland stretched along both sides of Grand and Chestnut Ridge Roads. Memorial School was much smaller than it is now and an artificial turf field at Fieldstone was years in the future and beyond comprehension in ‘99.
Why did you become a school nurse?
In 1992, I was working at Englewood Hospital as a medical/surgical nurse. I had a BS in biology and a BS in nursing—and no intention of going back to school. But, my hospital schedule often included night, evening or weekend shifts and that was difficult to juggle with children at home. And so, it was the lure of working while my children were at school that led me to school nursing. I went back to school for the additional 36 credits necessary for NJ school nursing, and truthfully, it wasn’t until I started at Leonia High School in 1993 that I fell in love with this unique nursing specialty.
Over the years, I’ve become a witness to the fact that children need to be healthy and safe in order to learn. As the school nurse here, I’ve had the unique and richly rewarding opportunity to help build a culture of both child and community health. I’ve been a partner with the Montvale Board of Health, State safety and wellness personnel, and local physicians in bridging education and health care for the well-being and safety of children in Montvale.
Any advice for parents to keep their children healthy?
Some tips for parents on keeping children healthy include:
Teach and encourage good hand washing.
Offer healthy meals and snacks.
Insist on sleep and keep TV and technology out of children’s bedrooms.
Watch for anxiety in your children, it can have a negative impact on health.
What has been the greatest change during your time in Montvale?
From a strictly Health Office perspective, the greatest change I’ve seen in Montvale is the number of students diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies.
What is one of your favorite books?
There are lots of books I’ve loved; my most recent favorite is Where the Crawdads Sing. It’s a story about nature, poetry and overcoming obstacles. Kya, the main character, filled her life with a love of nature and despite being left alone when she was very young, she educated herself, made a home, and found people who loved her.
So, retirement. What are your plans?
Actually, I’m conflicted about my upcoming retirement. I love my job and work with so many wonderful, caring, devoted people who I will miss very much. I plan to play more tennis, maybe take a few golf lessons and generally get more exercise. Hopefully I’ll spend some time in Texas with my far-from-home grandchildren.
AND, I’m going to eat lunch out sometimes. For the last 25 years, almost every weekday lunch has been eaten at my desk— I’ll call friends and find some delicious lunch places.
FMS School Play "MARY POPPINS" 5/17 & 5/18
School Administrators from India Visit Montvale
Holocaust Survivor Presentation
Mrs. Betty Knoop (pictured below) is a holocaust survivor. She was born in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. She was 8 years old when the Germans invaded her country. Her whole family was arrested and sent to camp Westerbork and on to Bergen Belsen concentration camp. She was liberated by the Russians and returned to Amsterdam. Her mother survived the camp but died 3 days after she was liberated. Betty was a contemporary of Anne Frank, lived in the same neighborhood and was deported to the same concentration camp.
Betty Knoop's presentation covered life in Amsterdam, Westerbork, Bergen Belsen, a concentration camp and life after liberation.
Montvale Celebrates 125 Years!
Getting Ready for Field Day!
School Budget Presentation
Upcoming Dates:
May 16: PTO Meeting at FMS at 9 a.m.
May 17: 3 R’s Day at Fieldstone
May 17 & 18: FMS School Play: Mary Poppins jr.
May 20: BOE Public Business Meeting
May 24, 27, 28: Memorial Weekend (Schools Closed)
June 3: BOE Meeting Work Session
June 4: Single Session Day - Parent and Teacher Conferences
June 5: Art Show & Spring Concert at FMS
June 6: 3rd & 4th Grade Cadet Band Concert at Memorial at 7 p.m.
June 10: BOE Public Business Meeting
June 12: 5th Grade Parent Orientation at FMS
June 13: MEF Meeting at Fieldstone at 7 p.m.
June 14: PTO Meeting At Memorial at 9 a.m.
June 21: 4th Grade Picnic at Memorial
June 24: BOE Public Business Meeting
June 25: 8th Grade Graduation
June 25: 12:55 p.m. Dismissal
June 26: Last Day of School (12:55 p.m. Dismissal)Montvale Public Schools
- Mrs. Debra McGauley-Eichhorn, President
- Mrs. Anita Bagdat, Vice President
- Mr. Scott Rossig, Board Member
- Mr. John Carvelli, Board Member
- Mrs. Rachel Baskin, Board Member
- Mr. Ernie DiFiore, Board Member
- Mrs. Alisha Foley, Board Member
Website: www.montvalek8.org
Location: 47 Spring Valley Road, Montvale, NJ
Phone: 201-391-1662